Summer 2008 Communique - Boston University

KOL KADIMA - SPRING 2009 PAGE �Department of Youth activities • the united synagogue of conservative Judaism

Kol Kadima Volume35,Issue1 Spring2009

dnicw lew

a What makes a Leader?

Not Every Hero Wears a Cape

Whois a hero?

KOL KADIMA - SPRING 2009

Leadership. Heroism. These two words often are used to mean entirely different things, but there is actually little difference between them. A leader is a respected and admired figure who people choose to follow and to whom others listen. A hero is a person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose. Leadership can inspire heroism and heroism can inspire leadership. Great heroes often are revered as leaders and great leaders as heroes. Where is that line between leadership and heroism? Superman, Moses, Golda Meir, Indiana Jones, Batman, Albert Einstein, and Abraham Lincoln: leaders or heroes? The correct answer is “all of the above.” A camp counselor who was a cherished role model, someone in your community who achieves against all odds and a teacher who has positively impacted your life are all heroes and leaders. Not every hero wears a cape. Not every leader wins an election. As John Quincy Adams put it, the necessary ingredient is inspiration. This edition of Kol Kadima is about inspiration. That is why I chose this topic for this issue of Kol Kadima – because inspiration is at the heart of USY and Kadima leadership and heroism. USY and Kadima have inspired me and thousands of others across the United States and Canada to dream more, learn more, do more and become more. Whatever our roles in USY, we can let them inspire us, energize us and, in turn, we can energize and inspire others. USY and Kadima give all of us the opportunity to touch the lives of so many, both inside and outside the organization. Whether on our own or as a group, we can motivate ourselves and others to do great things. Impact completes inspiration. The true measures of our accomplishments are the positive ways in which we can grow individually and change our communities and society for the better. So where is that line between leadership and heroism? Simple – there is none. Though the definitions may be different, the meaning is the same. It is not about how many people remember your name; it is about that one person who will never forget it. Kadima is for you, and it is what you make of it. Enjoy every moment of it, learn from it and allow it to inspire you to be a leader and a hero for others!

Josh Block, USY 2009 International Membership/Kadima Vice President

From Josh BlockUSY 2009

InternationalMembership/

KadimaVice President

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

- John Quincy Adams

HeroesandLeaders:Isthereadifference?

Ey-zehHuGibor?WhatMakesaJewishHero?What’s the first thing that comes to mind after read-ing that word? Superman? A cape? A masked person sweeping through a city solving crime and saving babies from burning buildings? Being a hero today isn’t about wearing a cape and swooping through a city solving criminal mysteries. Be-ing a hero is about the small steps we take to make a big difference. What makes someone a hero? Is it ...

being intellectual?being popular?being kind?accomplishing something unique?acting on one’s beliefs?committing to a cause?

Considered your own definition of hero. The dic-tionary uses or phrases or words such as legendary, great strength or ability, a person admired for his/her

••••••

achievements and noble qualities, one that shows great courage. Did any of your words match these? Now, consider what defines a Jewish hero. Is a good person (mensch) the same as hero? What’s the differ-ence between a mensch and a hero? What’s the differ-ence between a hero who is Jewish and a Jewish hero? This edition of Kol Kadima takes a look at the Jew-ish heros that have influenced our world and inspire us to do good things, everyday. From famous names to people you haven’t yet heard about, Jewish heroes come in all shapes, sizes, and abilities. As you read through this issue, think about the heroes in your life and what they do to be a hero in your eyes. Also, think about those people who you may be a hero to. Yes you, right now, are a hero to someone – a younger sibling, relative, even a friend – and they are in-fluenced by what you do. Be a positive influence– show them the small steps you take to make a big difference!

KOL KADIMA - SPRING 2009 PAGE �

INTHISISSUE:

LeadingNews Heroes and Leaders: Is there a difference? USY International Membership/Kadima VP 2 Ey-zeh Hu Gibor? What Makes a Jewish Hero? 2

NotEveryHeroWearsaCape Yoni Ha-gibor: The Courage of a Netanyahu You Never Knew 4 Devorah: You Go Girl! The Story of a Girl in a Boy’s Club 4 Heroes in the Lives of METNY Kadimaniks 5 A Legacy Lives On Herzl: A Man with Vision A Hero in my life My Role Model A ‘Hidden’ Hero 6 Who is a Jewish Hero? YOU Decide 7 Biblical, Amazing, Talented & Colorful! 8 Cruisin’ with USY on Wheels East 9

KadimaCoasttoCoast ECRUSY Cooks up a Storm with Israeli-Style Iron Chef 10 Live from Seaboard ... It’s Kadima! 11 Hanegev Kadima Israel-ly Awesome 12 Pinwheel Kadima Kinnus: Fun, Friends and Israel! 13 Hagalil Kadima Fun Day 14 Chillin’ with CHUSY Kadima 15 CHUSY Maccabiah Spillin’ the BEANS with BEANS Kadima

USYonWheels,East 16

Content Editor, Kol KadimaAmyGreenfeld

Design and ProductionMatthewG.Halpern

Department of Youth ActivitiesJulesA.Gutin,Director

KarenL.Stein•AvivaTilles•Adam Kofinas • Ilan Schwartz •

Nahum Binder • Yitzchak Jacobsen • DavidKeren•YossiGarr

International YouthCommission Chair

Paul Kochberg

USY 2009 International PresidentDavidHelfand

USY 2009 Membership/Kadima Vice President

Josh Block

The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism

Dr.RayGoldstein,PresidentDr.MarilynL.Wind,Vice President for Youth Services and Education

Rabbi Jerome Epstein,Executive Vice President

VoLUME35,ISSUE1 SPRING2009

Kol Kadima

Kol Kadima is published quarterly by the Youth Department of The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. Subscription price is included in Kadima membership dues. Kol Kadima is the official magazine of Kadima. We welcome articles of varying viewpoints; all articles represent the author’s point of view and not necessarily the organization’s opinion.

If you are interested in writing or submitting photos and/or artwork for Kol Kadima, please send all material to Kol Kadima, 820 Second Avenue, 10th Floor, New York, NY, 10017. By fax: (212) 353-9439, and also e-mail [email protected]. All work for publication must include full name, address and region. This publication is printed on recycled paper. Publication No. 964600.

The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism promotes the role of the synagogue in Jewish life inorder tomotivateConservativeJewstoperformmitzvot encompassing ethical behavior, spirituality, Judaic learning, and ritual observance. Combining an awareness of communal responsibility with a strong sense of commitment, the United Synagogue is a dynamic force within the Conservative Movement.

PAGE � KOL KADIMA - SPRING 2009


YoniHa-gibor:TheCourageofaNetanyahuYouNeverKnew

Yonatan “Yoni” Netanyahu was a member of the Israel De-fense Forces elite Sayeret Matkal unit. Yoni was awarded the Medal of Distinguished Service for his bravery in the Yom Kippur War. If his last name seems familiar, it’s be-cause he was also the brother of Benjamin Netanyahu, cur-rent Prime Minister of Israel and Likud leader. Yoni was killed in action during Operation Entebbe (also known as the Entebbe Raid and code named Opera-tion Thunderbolt) at Entebbe airport by Ugandan soldiers, when the Israeli military rescued hostages after an aircraft hijacking. He was the leader of the assault and the only Israeli military fatality of the raid. The operation was re-named Operation Yonatan in memory of Yoni. On the night of July 3 and early morning of July 4, 1976, an Air France flight originating in Tel Aviv and en route from Athens to Paris was hijacked by terrorists from the PFLP (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine) who threat-ened to kill all hostages if their prisoner release demands were not met. The terrorists were supported by Uganda and the hostages were held in the Entebbe airport while the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) planned a daring and bold mission, with Yoni as its leader. The plan was to airlift the hostages

to safety, even with the threat of armed resistance from Ugandan military troops. The mission was daring, dangerous and swift. Yoni and his team rescued every hostage and saved each life – all but Yoni’s. Yoni’s memory lives as a national legacy and is a testament to the bravery and courage of the brave soldiers who fight for the safety and security of Jews everywhere. His story has been told through the film Operation Thunder-bolt and a book of his letters home called Letters from Yoni, allows one to discover who this hero was as a person. He is a true national hero of Israel and a dugma (role model) for the Jewish people.

Devorah:YouGoGirl!TheStoryofaGirlinaBoy’sClub

“Deborah the prophetess-woman – she judged Israel at that time. She would sit under ‘Deborah’s Palm Tree’ between Ramah and Beth-El on Mount Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her for judgment.” (Judges 4:4-5) Devorah’s story is found in the Book of Judges (Sefer Shoftim – part of Nevi’im or Prophets). She played a major role in the conquest of the Ca-naanites and is not your average bibli-cal woman. In fact, Deborah’s gender is particularly what makes her stand out in the Bible. So, what makes this woman so great? Devorah was considered a judge – someone to whom the people would go to get advice from God through a human being. She would bring the word of God to the people. Devorah was a real leader among

her people. She explained in her song that the people were going through a bit of a rough time and she cared to lead them toward a better life: “the in-habitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Devorah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.” (Judges 4:5) Devorah lived during a very dan-gerous time. She chose to stand up and be a leader when the people needed leadership. The People of Is-rael had crossed into Canaan and had to fight for their right to rule. A woman of action, a real leader among the peo-ple, Devorah started the battle off and called in Barak to gather the troops and go to battle. Devorah was not only a visionary who knew what to do in times of crisis, but also inspired her people. Barak refused to go to battle with her alongside and she joined in

the fight. Forces from the tribes of Ephraim, Binyamin, Zevulun, Isaachar and Naphtali fought long and hard to win the battle at Megiddo. Devorah’s lead-ership, bravery and courage brought victory to the people of Israel. Devorah the warrior played a part no woman dared to – she was a girl in a boys’ club and fought to bring her people to victory. You go girl!

Put yourself in Yoni’s shoes:

What would you have done?Would you be willing to risk your life to save others?Do you think Yoni would still be considered a hero if he hadn’t lost his life?How would you describe Yoni’s actions?Are these words you would use to describe a hero?

•••

••

Think about Devorah’s story:

What made Devorah special? Why do you think she was the only woman to be a messenger of God’s word?Why were there no other wom-en prophets?

••

•


HeroesintheLivesofMETNYKadimaniksNot Every Hero Wears a Cape

By Micah Fiedler, Hanefesh

Herzl: A Man with VisionBy Joshua Mendelowitz, Merrick Jewish Center

Theodore Herzl, the leader of modern Zionism, is a spe-cial kind of hero because he represented the difficulties, comforts, consequences and rewards of being a leader throughout his life. He saw anti-Semitism at a young age through the Dreyfus Affair and there started his vision that assimilation was not the solution to Anti-Semitism but a Jewish State was. He knew he’d be greeted with strong disagreement but that didn’t stop him. A leader must make a decision that fits the vision and what will be the best in the end for the people no matter what they think of him at the time. The reason he is a hero and a leader that inspires me is because he did not get to see the ripple effect of the Zion-

ist movement. Forty-four years after his death, his dream

of a Jewish State – the state of Israel was

reached.

A Hero in my lifeBy Samantha Moskowitz,

Congregation Beth El, Massapequa

My grandfather, Dr. Joe Greensher, is a leader. My grandpa is the medical director at his hospital and leads the workers there. He helps in training new doctors and works with them daily. When his workers need assis-tance, my grandpa helps them figure it out. He never gets frustrated no matter what they do and guides them through it to prevent it from happening again. He leads them all in the right direction to be better doctors and maybe someday, even a medical director. Because of him, I hope to someday lead something of my own.

My Role ModelBy Dina Goldman,

Forest Hills Jewish Center

My role model is a brave man from Israel. His name is Colonel Yaron and he spoke to my class about his time in the army. Normally, Israeli men serve in the army for three years but Colonel Yaron stayed for 25. He loves the feeling of fighting for his beloved country. It is so hard and frightening to take part in a job that at any time you might have to kill someone to defend your people. Colonel Yaron and many other soldiers are truly heroes.

A Legacy Lives OnBy Jordan Leibman, Merrick Jewish Center

A leader who I admire is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King is someone who has inspired me to assume the role of leader. I admire Martin Luther King, Jr. because of the way he led others through a tough time. He displayed leader-ship traits such as courage, belief in himself, patience and determination. He showed the world his leadership ability during the 1960s when he was a civil rights activist. Another important thing that made Dr. King a lead an outstanding leader was that his followers also believed and trusted in him. He believed so strongly in what he preached that on April 4, 1968, his life was taken from him. Although the world had lost a great leader, his legacy lives on.

a


A‘Hidden’HeroBy Shira Harris, CHUSY

This small story about Michael Meyer is fictional but based on similar accounts of real-life stories. It is considered “his-torical fiction” – a story that isn’t true but based on historical events. All of the characters in the story are fiction-al, but many of their personalities and events that occurred are accurate.

There is no such thing as being too young to have courage. Alexander Meyer lived in Germany during World War II. He had blonde hair and blue eyes, just like his wife. Everyday after Alexander came home from work, he and his wife, Katharina, would listen to their role model, Adolf Hitler, speak on the radio. Alexander and Katharina had two kids, Markus and Michael. The kids also listened to Hitler’s speeches. The youngest, Michael, went to a public school, while Markus went to a private German school. At Michael’s school, there were 10 Jews in his grade. One day, Katharina told Michael that his friends who were Jews could no longer come over. His closest Jew-ish friends were Shmuel, Yosef and Rivkah; he could tell that life was get-ting worse for them. They had been kicked out of school and their parents had lost their jobs. One night, Michael had an idea. Every night he called the local Rabbi’s wife, Malkeh, perfecting his plan. Finally he told Shmuel, Yosef and Rivkah the plan. That night they would sneak into his house and

hide in his attic. Michael, a 10-year-old, was slightly worried. As planned, at 3:30 a.m. he walked outside and all three families were there hiding their faces and yellow stars. They each had clothes, books and sleeping bags. Mi-chael helped each person carry their possessions upstairs. He then looked at Yosef nervously. Yosef forced a grin onto his face, but Michael saw a tear glisten in the corner of his eye. Yosef really liked Michael, but he was only 10; Yosef knew there was no chance they would survive. The three families safely got into the attic and fell asleep. How could he keep a secret like this? Everyday Michael would bring food, water and anything else needed to the attic. Soon Michael called other Jewish families and told them what what he was doing, and he saved Rab-bi Kortig and Malkeh and two more families. Michael was an unbelievable hero. Soon, the Nazis realized that there were fewer Jews in town. They started searching houses, but nobody suspected that there would be the Jews at the Meyers house. Michael continued to help the families. One Sunday afternoon, Mi-chael was working very hard on an English project and fell asleep early, forgetting to bring food to t h e

a t -t i c .

In the middle of

the night, around 2:30

a.m., there were loud bangs on the front door. Michael was the first up. He knew it; the Nazis were about to find the families in the attic, and they must have been starving. He needed to warn them, but he needed to hide. He tiptoed into his parent’s room and told them about the knocking on the door. Next he said, “And I’m really nervous because I forgot to feed the Je-” His dad said, “Feed the what?!?” “The Jews,” he said softly. “What Jews?” His mom yelled, al-most waking Markus. Without saying a word, Michael mot ioned for his m o t h e r to follow him. They w a l k e d downstairs into the k i t c h e n . M i c h a e l o p e n e d the refrig-erator and took out a c a r -

t o n of orange

juice and a pile of 10 cups

from the pantry. He walked to the cabinet

and took out a box of cereal and 10 bowls. Then

came the fruit and vegetables, about five of each. He knew that

his parents had noticed the short-age of food in the house, although

each day there was a different excuse. Michael also took out a little basket from the coat closet, and put all of the things into the basket. Last, he took out a big pile of napkins and put them in the basket.


A ‘Hidden’ Hero, continued on page 8


WhoisaJewishHero?YoUDecideNot Every Hero Wears a Cape

Many times, a “hero” is an ordinary person doing extraordi-nary things. In fact, it’s uncommon - almost impossible - to think of a hero who decided early on that they wanted to be a larger-than-life figure. There’s no “training” to become a great man or woman. We bestow the title of “hero” upon someone because, even if in a small way, they have made a big difference in the lives of others. Throughout history, there are numerous Jews who fall into this category – the ordinary doing the extraordinary. Take a look at this list of Jewish people from modern and ancient times and think about the accomplishments they achieved and the impact they have had on the generations of people who followed in their footsteps. Also, think about others – people who are famous and people who are yet unknown – who qualify as a “Jewish Hero” in your eyes.

michael Levin: American-born, former USYer, made aliyah and was killed as a soldier while serving in the Israeli army in 2006

Danny siegel: USY and Kadima’s

close friend, mitzvah man dedicated

to Tikun Olam and G’milut Chasadim;

has published many books on

Tzedakah and offers trips for those

who wish to do hands on Tikun Olam work

mark spitz:winner of seven gold medals

in 1972 Munich Olympics; record recently broken by Michael Phelps in 2008

Queen esther: saved the Jewish people of Persia from annihilation;married a non-Jew butMidrash tells us she kept Kosher in the palace; enters the palace by her beauty, saves her people with her brains

solomon schechter: founder of the United Synagogue of America (now United Synagogue of Conservative

Judaism, or USCJ); first president of the Jewish Theological Seminary;

one of the architects of theConservative Movement

ruth Bader Ginsburg:first Jewish woman to

serve as a Justice of theU.S. Supreme Court

Just for LaughsQ: What do ten Jews order in a fancy steak restaurant? A: Filet Minyan!

Q: If a plumber carries a tool kit and a doctor carries a medical kit, what does a mohel carry?A: a Bris-kit!


Biblical,Amazing,Talented&Colorful!

By Jake Winn, HaNegev

Jewish history goes all the way back to the beginning of time. Along the way, hundreds of thousands of heroes have influenced our heritage, history, culture, religion and way of life. Among those powerful leaders, one really stands out in my mind: Jacob’s favorite son, Joseph, who was a ruler by fate and a good one at that. Joseph did not choose to be his fathers favorite, nor did he choose to receive his father’s technicolor coat, or have metaphoric dreams, or get thrown into a pit by his brothers, or get sent to Egyptian jail. He didn’t even to choose the interpret dreams (a quality that saved his life), but Joseph did choose to work with what he was given. Joseph rose above these shortcomings on numerous occasions. A great leader takes the lemons and makes lemonade, takes the dreams and tells the future, takes the people and leads them to greatness. While Joseph may have let the power and favoritism get to his head, he was an incredible role model in the way we as Jews live our lives, both as leaders and followers. We cannot decide the obstacles we will have to overcome, just

how to overcome them. So not only was he talented, colorful, amazing and bib-lical, Joseph was a phe-nomenal leader and problem solver that set both an exam-ple and standard for all Jewish leaders that followed.

Michael pointed to the staircase and the two of them walked up the stairs in silence. He quietly knocked on the door to the attic. Yosef opened it. Michael quickly apologized for for-getting the food and put the basket on the floor. Ester was in shock. They left the room and came back with a few blankets, paper and a box of crayons. Isaac Kortig, a 4-year-old, walked up to the basket and took an apple and a napkin. Then Michael’s friend who was 10 came to the basket and took an apple and a cup of orange juice. Katharina couldn’t believe it. She looked around. The room was big and dark. There were many sleeping bags and blankets on the floor. There was no window and only one little light. Katharina looked at Michael and said, “You were the one who did this, not your father, right?” No one could tell if she was proud or furious. Quietly and very nervously Mi-chael said, “It was me.” After about 10

minutes they left the attic. When Katharina got back in bed with Alexander she asked, “Who was at the door?” He said that it was a mistake delivery of a pair of boots. Apparently the deliveryman thought that it was 8 p.m. Katharina told Alex-ander about the Jews in the attic, and they were both shocked but secretly proud of Michael. The next day there was a huge change in how the fami-lies were being treated. Now, instead

of a 10-year-old taking care of about six families, there was Michael and his parents. Michael had a lot of courage. He went against everything his friends and family believed to save lives. He took the risk of getting killed to do this. Just take a moment and imagine how many lives people like Michael saved during the Holocaust. It is impossible to be too young to be a hero like Mi-chael.

A ‘Hidden’ HeroContinued from page 6

Fast Facts on Jewish achievements:

The inventor of the traffic light was Jewish. His name was Charles Adler. Another famous Adler, Robert Adler, invent-ed the remote control.Baruch Blumberg & Irving Millman invented the Hepatitis B vaccination.Sylvia Goldman was a Jewish woman who invented the shopping cart.

•

•

•

KOL KADIMA - SPRING 2009 PAGE 9

It all comes down to a bus. A bus that takes you to the Coca-Cola factory, the Football Hall of Fame, Niagara Falls, air band competitions, Disney World and the U.S. Senate, while traveling with new friends on USY on Wheels East. On Wheels East, I traveled up and down the East Coast from Toronto and down to Florida, in only four weeks. Some of the states we visited included, Massachusetts, Ohio, Tennessee, the Carolinas, Georgia, and so many more.

Someone might ask why I would want to travel the Eastern part of the U.S. if I already live there. USY is not just to travel and see places where you have never been before, but is much more. It is experiencing all of the amazing sights and hot spots of the East with a Jewish community – a community that cares for you, loves spending time with you, and helps you grow.

One of my favorite moments on USY on Wheels East was when we were in Philadelphia. It was pouring rain that day and it just so happened our next activity involved being outside. The plan was to imitate the movie Rocky, and run up the stairs of the Philadelphia Art Museum to the top and then back down. Since the weather was bad, it was optional but almost everyone, counselors included, ran out of the bus linked hands and ran up as fast as they could, laughing very loudly, and getting

all muddy. That sense of unity is what carried each and every one of us through the summer. Shabbat is a very special and meaningful time on the trip – a time when y o u w a ke u p later, reflect on

the week, have spirited singing, play fun games wi th your bus and have a longer prayer service then the rest of the week. Prayer is a very important aspect of the trip to many of the USYers both during the week and on Shabbat. The idea that you can pray with your friends and

learn from them is so vital because it helps and pushes you to learn certain prayers or just to follow along with the guidance of your friends. Twice a week we would hold a program on the bus called “T’fillah Goals,” in which either the other kids on your bus or the counselors would teach you a certain section of the services or a prayer that was not so familiar to you. This trip was not only about learning from the places you go, and from the counselors, but also learning from each other, and understanding who each person really was, which makes the experience more fun and more meaningful. When I first signed up for USY on Wheels East, I knew that it would not just be a trip, but rather an experience that would never leave me. I knew that I would grow dramatically into the best person and Jew that I could be, and have an amazing time doing it. As I said, it all comes down to the bus. The bus is not a mode of transportation, but rather our home. A

place where we all just felt comfortable to just sit back, relax, dance, learn, laugh and think that there truly is no other place you would like to be at that moment.

Cruisin’withUSYonWheelsEastBy Deborah Pollack, METNY

USY on Wheels East, like other USY Summer Pro-grams, is about the people you meet, the places you go, and the opportunities you share a Jewish teenag-ers. Whether at the top of Niagara Falls (above) or ice skating in the middle of the summer (right), USY on Wheels East is your ticket to an unforgettable Jewish experience.

Don’t miss the Bus!for more information on this great experience, please contact: ilan schwartz,director, usY on Wheels, at [email protected] or (212) 533-7800, ext. 1149.

PAGE �0 KOL KADIMA - SPRING 2009

During a recent weekend, almost 30 Kadimaniks participated in an Iron Chef competition. This year’s theme was “Israel Style,” where participants were challenged to prepare a four-course Israeli themed meal. Each team was charged with pro-viding Hebrew names for their dishes and creating a Hebrew team name. Additionally, teams’ final task was to create a represen-

tation of Israel out of ice cream. There were many diverse entries, including a model of the Kotel, the Israeli flag, a map of Israel (complete with blue sprinkles to represent the water), and more. Gal Ben Haim and Elinor Shtrull, our two young emissaries from Israel, added many unique elements to this event.

From East

to West

ECRUSYCooksupaStormwithIsraeli-StyleIronChef

Kadima Coast to

Coast From North

to South

KOL KADIMA - SPRING 2009 PAGE ��

Live from Seaboard ...It’s Kadima!

KadimaCoast to

CoastJanuary 24

Seaboard Region Kadima had more than 150 Kadimaniks at Kadima Saturday Night Live on January 24. The evening featured karaoke & DJ-led games, inflatable Twister, joust and bun-gee run, tons of video games like Rock Band, Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero, cot-ton candy, a make your own ice scream sundae bar, board games, jewelry making, Israeli trivia and Gaga. There was also a special lounge just for 8th graders. It was a great night full of old and new Kadima friends!

PAGE �2 KOL KADIMA - SPRING 2009

Hanegev KadimaIsrael-ly Awesome

By Hannah Swerdloff

KadimaCoast to

Coast

HaNegev Kadima “Israel-ly Awesome,” and I have the evidence to prove it. Throughout November and December, HaNegev hosted three fall sub-regional Kadima conventions dubbed “Kadima Israel-ly Awe-some.” The weekend included learning Hebrew, meet-ing the variety of people that live in Israel, dancing and singing to Israeli music and choosing a new Israeli flag. There was also time for Candy Shacharit, Gesher Convention preparation, and ruach, ruach and more ruach! I loved experiencing Kadima week-end after weekend, witnessing how each group felt about Israel and their Judaism. I know the enthused Kadi-maniks that attended Fall Sub-Regional convention will make incredible, active USYers.

Kadimaniks tell us just how awesome israel-ly awesome was:

“It was awesome to sing ruach on Shabbat.” – Zack White, Ohev Shalom, Orlando, FL

“My favorite part of convention was hanging out with my friends on Shabbat afternoon.” – Shayna Berger, Bet Shira, Miami, FL

“It was fun to see the USYers dress up as Druze, Christians and Orthodox Jews.” – Noah Peskin, Beth Am, Margate, FL

“I loved convention so much that I can’t wait to go on a USY Summer Program.” – Elana Leibovitch, Beth Am, Margate, FL

“Kadima convention was great because it was a weekend to be with friends and learn about Israel cul-ture through music, food and more.” – Micha Kerbel, Etz Chaim, Marietta, GA


Pinwheel KadimaKinnus: Fun, Friends

and Israel!By Rachel Eisenberg

KadimaCoast to

Coast

Kadima Kinnus was a fun and exciting program that took place at Camp Solomon Schecter in Olympia, Wash. The flights and bus rides were all organized for us and was a great experi-ence. I rode on the plane with all of my friends from Calgary and rode on the bus with some new people from Victoria and Vancouver. This year’s Kinnus theme was Israel’s 60th birthday, so we played a lot of fun games and activities all about Israel like a quiz game that everyone was involved in and discussions about the en-vironment of Israel and what the people of Israel could do to improve the environment. During Kadima Kinnus, I had the opportunity to meet many new people from other cities and had a great time with them and my friends from Calgary. The program was great, and during our free time, there were great activities for us to do like play basketball and other sports, explore the campgrounds or just hang around with some new friends. The services were great too! We learned new tunes to prayers and had an amazing Shabbat and Havdalah. On the last night of Kadima Kinnus, there was an outstanding dance with lots of food and great music. I had a great time at Kadima Kinnus and would guarantee to everyone that they would have a great time too!

PAGE �� KOL KADIMA - SPRING 2009

Hagalil KadimaFun Day

KadimaCoast to

CoastJanuary 25

Hagalil Kadima Fun Day on January 25 was great! Nearly 100 Kadimaniks spent the day with their friends learning about thyroid cancer from the Light of Life Foundation and participating in social action projects to help patients. Kadiman-iks donated books, cards, markers, games and other items and packed survival backpacks for the patients to use while in treatment. They also made scarves for patients to wear following surgery and treatment. Kadimaniks also enjoyed a mind power game show, dinner, catching up with old friends and making new ones. The Kadimaniks left with a very good feeling having had a fun day and knowing patients would benefit because they packed 73 backpacks and made 22 scarves!


Chillin’ withCHUSY Kadima

KadimaCoast to

Coast

One of the most agreed upon advantages of the CHUSY Region is the relatively small geo-graphical area in which our constituency lives. It makes two-hour Regional programs possible and successful! On January 11, CHUSY hosted Kadima Day: Maccabiah 2009. Five USYers who are members of the Regional General Board, planned this event months in advance. Everyone was divided into two teams, Red and Green, and each team came up with a cheer and was awarded ruach points. The games began with an intense,

multi-inning game of kickball, followed by three fierce games of Capture the Flag. Tired from running, hiding, jumping and, of course, laugh-ing, the Kadimaniks enjoyed a snack break and got ready for a crazy game of musical chairs, where it took lots of creativity to pick a winner, but almost an entire CD later, the winner was announced … The Green Team! Everyone on the Green Team received min-iature trophies as rewards and everyone was told about, and invited to, the CHUSY Kadima Kallah, just over a month later!

chusY maccabiahBy Hannah Miller, CHUSY

spillin’ the Beans with Beans KadimaBy Talia Fishbein, CHUSY

At BEANS Kadima (North Suburban Synagogoue Beth El), we have had many fun events, such as our interchapter program. Last year was our first annual BEANS Kadima interchapter program where we invited three other chapters. Everyone on the Kadima board takes part in planning the interchapter program. We kick off the weekend with an exciting Kabbalat Shabbat service with a dinner afterwards and then participate in the fun activity which we planned. Then, everyone goes back to their host homes to sleep. In the morning, everybody comes back to shul. Following the services, we have lunch together and then we participate in a study group. Afterwards, we have a mincha and ma’ariv service followed by a meaningful Havdalah service. Then everyone goes back to their host homes to pack up and come back to synagogue for the concluding activity. The concluding activity is usually something fun, like laser tag or bowling. The BEANS Kadima interchapter is a great experience and a fun way to spend Shabbat. As president of BEANS Kadima, I get to help plan the events. I think that it’s important to integrate the tikun olam, or social action projects, into our events. During a lot of the events, such as our “lounge nights,” we try to come up with fun ideas to help the world around us. For instance, at our last lounge night, it was a “pajama night” so we made pillowcases to donate to the children at a local hospital. Tikun Olam, or repairing the world, is important to us as Jews.

PAGE �� KOL KADIMA - SPRING 2009

The United Synagogue Of Conservative Judaism

Department of Youth Activities

RapaportHouse

820 Second Avenue, 10th Floor

New York, New York 10017

E-mail [email protected]

Address Service Requested

NONPROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDNEW YORK, NY

PERMIT NO. 7906

Toronto • New England • Cape Cod • Disney World • Washington, D.C. •

Sava

nnah

, Ga.

• P

hila

delp

hia

• G

reat

Lak

es S

cien

ce C

ente

r •

Touro Synagogue • Hockey Hall of Fame • Quincy Market • Howe Caverns • Virginia Beach •

Norfolk N

aval Base • N

ashville Zoo • K

ennedy Space Center

For more information, e-mail us at [email protected]

usY on Wheels, east

USY on Wheels, East – the newest USY on Wheels bus – will cover the East coast of the United States and Canada on an incredible four week adventure next summer.

Open to 8th graders only, highlights of the program include:

Toronto • New England • Cape Cod • Disney World • Washington, D.C. • Savannah, Ga. • Philadelphia • Kennedy Space Center •

Touro Synagogue • Hockey Hall of Fame • Quincy Market •Howe Caverns • Virginia Beach • Norfolk Naval Base • Nashville Zoo •

Great Lakes Science Center • and more! (subject to change)

Department of Youth activitiesunited synagogue of conservative Judaism

820 Second Avenue, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10017(212) 533-7800, ext. 1149, or visit our website at www.usy.org/escape

A Summertime Adventure for 8th Graders

Summer 2008 Communique - Boston University

Documents

Transcript of Summer 2008 Communique - Boston University